The After
by The Chibi Queen
Summary: Anzu's parents die inan accident and she is sent to America to live with her cousin. How will she handle being in a foreign country?


Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh, Lucky Charms, or the United States of America.

"Setsuna, get back here!" Anzu Mazaki called. Setsuna knew she wasn't supposed to leave her cousin alone here, because she didn't speak English very well. Despite that, she kept running off to talk to her friends, leaving Anzu alone and confused. Anzu felt like crying, but she knew that would only cause Setsuna to mock her for being weak. So the brunette straightened her back, took a deep breath, and followed her cousin through the winding corridors of her new school.

Meanwhile, Setsuna was telling all of her friends that she had been saddled with her cousin from Japan since her parents had died in a car accident. She didn't mention that the girl hardly spoke English, or that she was struggling to get used to her situation. All Setsuna cared about was the fact that she had to babysit Anzu until she got used to living in America, and she wasn't happy about it.

"Man that must totally suck," one of her friends said, "I mean, being saddled with some lame cousin you've never met just because her parents aren't around anymore."

"Tell me about it," Setsuna replied. "She follows me around everywhere! It's like, since she doesn't have a life anymore, she figures she'll just horn in on mine!"

Anzu, who had finally caught up with her cousin's little group, understood just enough of the conversation to know how Setsuna felt. _It's not like I wanted this to happen, _she thought bitterly, wishing she could slap the girl around until she felt better. _I'd much rather be back in Japan with Yuugi and all of my friends. _

Setsuna turned to look at Anzu and realized the she wasn't any happier about having to cling to someone. She dropped back until she stood next to Anzu. "I'm sorry about what I said," Setsuna apologized, "But it's frustrating, having you follow me around everywhere."

Anzu stared at her. "Having to live in a country that I don't speak the language of because my parents are dead is also frustrating," she said flatly.

Setsuna winced. "I suppose I deserved that," she admitted.

"Yes, I suppose you did," Anzu agreed.

"Well, I'm _sorry _that you're having such a hard time, but there's nothing I can do about it." Setsuna said testily.

"Hmph," Anzu turned away and closed her eyes, hoping Setsuna would get the hint.

"Fine. Be that way. I won't try to be nice to you anymore." Setsuna snapped, thrusting her orange bangs out of her eyes. "Have a nice life." She said before walking away, leaving Anzu to fend for herself.

When she was sure that her cousin was gone, Anzu opened her eyes and sighed. _I wonder if I could move back to Japan and get a job to support myself? _She considered the possibility for a moment before dismissing it. _Aunt Kimi would never let me live by myself._ With another sigh, Anzu headed in the direction she thought the gym would be in.

Setsuna settled herself deeper into her chair with a grimace. After that little falling-out with Anzu, she had decided to head to the cafeteria for breakfast before heading to P.E. _I wonder how Anzu's doing. _She thought briefly as she dug into a heaping bowl of Lucky Charms. _Oh, who cares,_ she thought, _but mom's going to give me hell when she finds out about this._ After a few more minutes of mental debate, Setsuna shrugged and decided that she would deal with it when the time came, a very lazy attitude.

Meanwhile, Anzu had tried (and failed) to participate in P.E. with the other students. When the teacher discovered that she didn't speak much English, he sent her to the counseling office so they could sort her out. Now she was almost falling asleep on the couch while the school counselor attempted to convince a suicidal girl that killing herself wouldn't solve her problems.

Anzu sighed and shifted to a more comfortable position, making sure she wouldn't get an imprint of the couch's fabric on her face. _I really just want to go home,_ she thought wistfully. However, it didn't seem like that was going to happen anytime soon.

The counselor ushered the suicidal girl out of her office and gestured to Anzu that she could come in.

Anzu heaved herself off of the couch and went into the office, immediately noticing the big blue chair. Situated in the middle of the room, it was clearly intended to be a comforting touch in the otherwise cold office. Anzu hesitated for a moment, then gave in and plopped herself down in the chair. The air rushed out of the cushions with a noise like a fart, and Anzu blushed, hoping the counselor didn't think it had been her.

The woman pulled out a beaten hardcover book, obviously used a lot, and said in halting Japanese, "I understand you don't speak English?"

Anzu blinked a few times before nodding.

"Was your aunt aware of this when she enrolled you in this school?"

Again, Anzu just nodded. She had been wondering why Aunt Kimi would make her go to a school in America when she knew she didn't speak English.

"I'm afraid I will have to call her in to get you, and you will have to stay home until you learn English." The woman smiled at Anzu, then closed the book and picked up the phone. She looked the number up on her computer, then quickly dialed and requested that Kimi come to the school and pick up her niece immediately.

Anzu felt tears welling up in her eyes and closed them in an attempt to stop the tears from falling. She took a few deep breaths and concentrated on imagining The Dark Magician, Yuugi's favorite card, in detail. This usually always worked to stop her from crying, but for some reason she couldn't picture the Duel Monster at all today. She decided to think about what it had been like to see the man who had become the Dark Magician, back when her and her friends had gone into Atem's memory. Just remembering Atem made her sad, because she realized that he was gone now, and she would never see him again. _If only I could bring him back somehow…_ she wished, but she knew it was pointless. Atem was gone now, having passed into the Afterlife after living in the Millennium Puzzle for five thousand years.

"Anzu? Are you okay?" her Aunt Kimi's voice pulled her out of her thoughts, and she opened her eyes to see her aunt's concerned face hovering inches in front of her own.

"I'm fine," Anzu muttered, embarrassed that she had been seen daydreaming, even if only by her aunt and the school counselor. She had always been the dependable one, and even though her friends couldn't see her, she didn't want to seem otherwise now.

"I'm sorry I made you come to school today, dear," Kimi said, giving Anzu a hug, "I should have realized that you weren't quite ready for it yet."

"It's alright," Anzu said as she returned the hug, "I know you meant well."

"Now that that's been said," Kimi said with a dangerous frown, "Where is Setsuna? I told her that you were _not_ to be left alone under _any_ circumstance short of _serious_ injury on her part!"

Anzu shrugged. "She got tired of me following her around," she answered, not caring that her cousin was going to get in a _lot_ of trouble because of her flippant attitude.

Suddenly Setsuna herself appeared in the doorway, panting for breath. She had run all the way there from the cafeteria when one of her friends found her and told her that Anzu had been sent to the counseling office.

"My dear daughter," Kimi began in a sickeningly sweet voice, "How kind of you to show up."

"Ah," Setsuna gulped and took a step back, "Hi, Mom…"

"Do you remember what I told you this morning?"

"Yes…" Setsuna said slowly, taking another step back.

"So can you explain to me just how your dear cousin Anzu happened to find herself alone and frightened in P.E., with no one to translate for her?"

Anzu eyed her aunt. She had _not_ been frightened- she hadn't said anything of the sort!

"I seriously doubt that she was _frightened_, mom!" Setsuna snapped. "And did you ever stop to think about how _I_ feel about having her follow me around everywhere?!"

"NO, as a matter of fact, I did not!" Kimi roared. "This girl just lost her parents and her _HOME_, and all you can think about is yourself!"

Anzu coughed.

Kimi stopped advancing on her daughter and looked at her niece, who looked as though she wanted to throttle someone. "I'm sorry dear," she said, "Did I upset you?"

A/N:Abrupt ending, I know, but I have a class to go to now. Please R&R!


End file.
